The Weeknd Credits Kavinsky as Inspiration for 'Blinding Lights'

Tribute Performance in Germany

During a recent show in Germany, The Weeknd paused his set to honor Kavinsky, performing a live rendition of their 2013 collaboration "Odd Look" from the French producer's album OutRun. The tribute came shortly before what would have been Kavinsky's birthday.

"Tonight we're going to celebrate an incredible talent, a visionary, a pioneer to dance music, to electronic music, and a huge inspiration for myself," The Weeknd told the crowd. "'Blinding Lights,' 'Save Your Tears,' all of this is inspired by Kavinsky's work. I want to give a big shout out to Kavinsky. It's his birthday tomorrow, so we're going to celebrate it tonight."

Kavinsky's Synthwave Legacy

The pioneering synthwave producer, whose real name was Vincent Belorgey, was found dead at his Paris home at the age of 50. Authorities reported no immediate signs of foul play, while local reports cited a suspected stroke.

Belorgey helped define a moody, retro-futuristic strain of electronic music built on shimmering synths and cinematic tension. That sound became globally recognizable through "Nightcall," the 2010 track that opened Nicolas Winding Refn's film Drive and helped turn synthwave from a niche aesthetic into a wider cultural sound.

From Underground Electro to Pop Charts

The Weeknd's biggest pop tracks have carried echoes of that world, with "Blinding Lights" in particular turning sleek synth-pop into a record-breaking global phenomenon. "Odd Look" already served as a bridge between Kavinsky's shadowy French electro and The Weeknd's sultry R&B sensibilities, but its live return after the former's death reminds us that some of pop's biggest choruses were built on ideas that electronic music had been sharpening in the dark for years.

Footage of The Weeknd's tribute has been circulating online since the Germany performance.